Rail-tie-plate clamp.



E. J. BANKER & J. B. STRONG.

RAIL TIE PLATE CLAMP.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 23. 1914.

1,108,881 Patented Sept. 1, 1914,

WIN"

Illllllll UNITED sTfA'rEs PATENT-1 orricn.

-EDWARD JAMES BANKER, OF SLOATSBURG, AND

JAMES BOORMAN STRONG, OF HILL- BUBN', NEW YORK, ASSIGNOBS TO RAMAPO IRON. WORKS, OF HILLBURN, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RAIL-TIE-PLATE' CLAMP.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, EDWARD JAMES 'BANKER, a citizen of the United States, re-

inventionconsists in the new and novel features of construction and combinations of-v parts hereinafter set forth and claimed. One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a construction which perv mits quick and accurate adjustmentboth of the .trackand the guard rail, together. with means for holding .the same in their adjusted positions,

The various other objects of the invention Will-be more fully set forth in the following description of a rail tie plate clamp embodying our invention-illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is an end view of a rail tie plate clamp showing the rails in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rail tie plate. Fig.3 is a detail view showing the construction of the wedge plate and washer.

The track rails, such as the main rail, 1 and the guard rail 2 are mounted upon the tie plate 3, which is provided with aledgeor shoulder 4 preferably formed integral therewith and against which the main rail abuts. The

spaced ata suitable distance by! a clip block preferably comprising two parts 5 and 6:

movable with relation to each other, each having a flange 7 resting upon the base of the adjacenttrack rail. One of said parts, as 5 is. secured in fixed-relation to the tie plate and to the adjacent track. rail by a lag screw 8 or. other, suitable means, and is also provided with a lip-0r flange 9 adapted to seat in a pocket 10 formed in the other part 6 of the clip whereby said part is normally held against vertical movement; Ifgdesired, the-base of-one-or both of the trackrails may be cut away to form a Specification of Letters iatent. Application filed April 23, 1914. Serial No. 883,859,

New York, and JAMEs track rail and the guard rail are Patented Sept. 1, 11114:.

squared shoulder againstwhich the clip may abut, as shown by theguard rail illustrated 1n Fig.

The: tie plate is provided Opposite the ledge or shoulder 4 with a solid shoulder 12, preferably. upset from .the tie plate and provided w1th a diagonal face 13. A wedge plate 14. is arranged between this shoulder and the base of the guardrail; The wedge plate has a-roughened top surface comprising wedge, shaped-teeth 15 andis also provided with a slot; 16 diagonally arranged parallel to the diagonaLedge of the plate. Theiwedgeplate, may be provided with a lip .or,,.flange.,overlapping the adjacent edgeof the-,track rail or brace block as the case may be! The wedge plate is held in adjusted position byinterlocking means comprising a bolt, screw. or 1 ug.17 which passes through the slot,16 and-is secured in relativelyfixed position with respect to the tie plate. Preferably. the wedge plate is heldby .a bolt:having an oval or elongated head 18 that engages in a corresponding-recess orsocket 19 provided in the bottom .of the tie plate This socketis so placed andformedthat it will prevent the. bolt. from turning, but will permit a very slight tilting or adjusting move mentthereof in the slot 16. A washer 20 is mounted on this .bolt that has a roughened or. toothed bottom surface comprising-teeth- 21 adapted to interlock with the correspondingteethon the wedge plate. The bolt-hole 23 through the washer is slightly larger than the bolt to allow. slight playand permit=the teeth ,onthe. bottom of the washerto engage with-the teeth on-the wedge plate in every position thereof. Preferably the washer overlaps the joint between the ed e of the wedge. plate and. the tie plate. fter the washer hasbeen brought into place, it isforced into firm engagement with the wedge plate by suitable meansras a nut 24. A looking-nut 25 may. also be used, if'desired;

The device is assembled by placing the main rail and. guard rail in position and then adjusting v e wedge plate between the base of theguard rail and the shoulder 12 until all of the parts of the construction are firmly wedged intoiplace. The washer. 2O is then seatedon-the plate by being-moved as far as possible in a direction contrary to the wedging movement of the plate and the nut 2-1 is tightened until the wedge plate and the washer are firmly locked under considerable pressure. In case only the upper portions of the teeth engage, the wedging faces of the teeth will cause a certain amount of pull onthe plate in the direction of 1ts wedging movement and consequently,- a certain amount of lost motion between the parts will b eautomatically taken up as the teeth gradually work together. In order to release the guard rail, the washer is first disengaged and the wedge plate driven lengthwise out of place, permitting the guard rail to be moved and access to be had to the clip and the main rail. In case it shouldbe desired, for any reason, to vary the dlstance between the main rail and the guard rail, one of the parts of the clip is replaced by a corresponding part of greater thickness. This may easily be accomplished by loosening the lag screw and lifting up the casting thereon so as to permit the other'part of the clip to be removed, withoutjentirely removing the lag screw.

The slight play of the locking washer with respect to the bolt permits engagement between the teeth on the washer and the teeth on the wedge plate in every position of the latter and permits a certain amount of automatic adjustment of the parts that increases rather than diminishes pressure exerted on the track rail to hold the same in place.

It is obvious that a brace block can be used in connection with the guard rail and that the wedge plate can be brought into engagement with the base of the brace block instead of being brought directly into engagem-ent with the base of the guard rail, if desired. Y

Although a preferred form of clip is shown in the accompanying drawings, it is obvious that other well known forms of spacing devices can be used so far as the operation and construction of the wedge plate is concerned and that in certain cases spacing means may be omitted.

It will also be obvious that various minor modifications may be made in the details of construction herein set forth .which are within the skill of the mechanic without departing from the invention, provided the means set forth in the following claims be employed.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a rail tie plate clamp, the combination with a tie plate having a track rail and a guard rail thereon and provided with a solid abutment having a diagonal edge, of a clip holding the track rail and the guard rail comprising two parts movable with respect to each other, one of said parts being normally secured in fixed relation to the tie plate and provided with-means overlapping the top of the other. part to hold same against vertical displacement, a Wedge plate arranged between the base of the guard rail and said abutment, and means for holding the wedge'plate in adjusted position.

2. In a rail tie plate clamp, the combination with a tie plate provided with a fixed abutment and having track ralils and a spacing clip mounted thereon saidclip comprising two parts interlocking with the rails and with each other, one of said parts being loosely mounted with respect to the tie plate and the other part being provided with a flange'overlapping the top of said part and interlocking therewith, of a Wedge plate engaging the base of one of said rails to force said cl1p parts together and hold the same in interlocking position, and means for holding the wedge plate in adjusted position with relation to the tie plate.

3. In a rail tie plate clamp, the combination with a tie plate provided with a fixed abutment and having track rails and a spacing clip mounted thereon, said clip comprising two parts, each interlocking with one of the track rails, one of said parts being loosely mounted on the tie plateand having a recess formed therein and the other part being adjustably secured to the tie plate and having a projection engaging in said recess, of a wedge plate engaging said abutment and the base of one of the track rails to hold said clip parts in interlocking position and 'a washer interlocking with the wedge plate to hold the same in adjusted position.

'4. In a rail tie plate clamp, the combination with a tie plate provided with a fixed abutment and havin track rails and a spacing clip mounted t ereon, said clip comprisin two parts, one of said parts being secured to the tie plate and being provided with a flange overlapping the top of the other part, said other part being held against vertical displacement by the fixed part and held against lateral displacement by the guard rail, of wedging means engaging the said abutment and the base of one of said rails to hold said rails and clip parts in ailjusted position with relation to the tie p ate.

5. In a rail tie plate clamp, the combination with a tie plate and a track rail movably mounted thereon, of a wedge plate mounted on the tie plate between the track rail and a fixed abutment, said plate being provided with a diagonally arranged slot and having a portion of its upper surface provided 'with locking teeth, abolt project.- ing through said slot and provided with a non-circular head, a bearing .for said head permitting rocking movement thereof in the earing, and a washer mounted on said bolt and having a portion of its bottom provided with looking teeth adapted to engage the corresponding surface means for forcing the locking teeth on said plate and washer into wedging engagement.

6. In a rail tie plate clamp, the combination with a tie plate and a track rail movably mounted thereon, of a wedge plate mounted on the tie plate between the track rail and a fixed abutment, said plate having a portion of its upper surface roughened, a washer having a roughened surface adapted to engage the corresponding surface on the wedge plate and means for holding the wedge plate and washer in adjusted position, said holding means being secured to the tie plate and having limited rocking movement in one direction with respect thereto to permit accurate fitting of the washer without disturbing the wedge plate.

7. In a rail tie plate clamp, the combination with a tie plate provided with a fixed guiding abutment, and a track rail movably mounted on said tie plate, of a wedge plate arranged between said track rail and abutment and havin a portion of its upper surface provided wlth teeth, of a locking washer having a portion of its bottom surface provided with teeth to engage the corresponding surface on the wedge plate and means for securing the washer whereby it can be fitted in any adjusted position of the wedge of the wedge plate, and

plate" and normally exert a pull on the same in the direction of wedging movement of the wedge plate.

8. In a rail tie plate clamp, the combination with a tie plate provided with integral fixed abutments adjacent the opposite ends thereof, one of said abutments being provided with a diagonal face, a main rail and a guard rail loosely mounted on said t1e plate, a clip between said rails comprising two parts interlocking with said rails and with each other, one of said parts being fixed with relation to the tie plate and the other part being loosely mounted thereon, a wedge plate seating on said tie plate between'the diagonal abutment and one of the track rails, said plate having a toothed upper surface, a locking washer having a corresponding toothed surface interlocking with the wedge plate, and a bolt having a tilting movement in one direction securing said Washer in wedging engagement with said plate.

This specification signed and witnessed this 16 day of April A. D., 1914.

EDWARD J AMES BANKER, JAMES BOORMAN STRON Signed in the presence of J. EDGAR DAVIDSON, MAXWELL ANDREW SUSLIR. 

